More Than A Phase
by TakemylovedowntoVioletHill
Summary: The first time Fred sees Hermione at the Yule Ball, he writes his attraction off as just a phase but a series of situations brings him to realize what might be fueling the feelings he has for the witch...
1. Yule Ball

**Author's Note: I really must thank Flyicarus on Tumlr. with her wondrous Headcannon posts because it was where I got the idea for this little story. So thank you so much Flyicarus, all of you who wish to visit her blog please just type in the words flyicarus(dot)tumblr(dot)com and you will find her there.**

**For Fremione fans everywhere! Please review as well, that always helps my ego and a healthy ego means more stories. **

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><p>"George?"<p>

"Hm?" his twin said, mouth full of food that he'd been sampling off the catering table.

"Who do you think that is?" Fred asked, pointing to the woman walking down the stairs with Krum. "I don't think I've seen her before." George peered at the girl and swallowed his food.

"I-I can't be sure, but I think that's Hermione Granger Freddie." He stated. Fred snorted, reaching for his goblet of pumpkin juice.

"It can't be… Hermione's…." he couldn't find the word to describe her.

The woman was getting closer and Fred began scrutinizing for any detail that would give her away and then he spotted it, the snide look she gave his younger brother as she passed him. There was no way anyone could give Ron such a haughty look, the glare of a know-it-all. It _was_ Hermione.

"Bloody hell," Fred said, sitting up a little straighter, eyes following her as she dancing with that sodding quidditch player.

"What?" George said, still eating.

"Huh? Oh, nothing, I was just-," he stood up. "I'm going to, you know… _walk_." He said. His twin raised an eyebrow but was much too involved with his steak to care as he waved his brother away.

"Okay, okay, go already." He muttered, putting a juicy square in his mouth.

Fred loitered around the dance floor, eyes raking over ever last bit of Hermione's figure. She was fucking beautiful, Merlin how he wished he could pluck up the courage to dance with her. He glared at Krum's back as he watched him eye the Beaubaxtons girls while Hermione wasn't looking. He wanted to punch him in the face and shout "Hello? Do you not see her? She's RIGHT THERE?" maybe then Hermione would realize he was a much more suitable dancing partner and take his offered hand and everyone would carry on as normal.

The thought was pleasing in his head but a hand on his shoulder drew his attention away for a split second to see Katie Bell asking for the next dance. He nodded, turning his eyes back to look for Hermione again but she was gone.

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><p>Fred was walking back to the common room with his brother (who had stuffed himself full to the point of being sick) when he heard the shouting. George didn't seem to notice and turned when he saw his brother wasn't walking beside him.<p>

"Oi! Come on Fred." His twin complained.

"You go on, I've got to… use the toilet." He said lamely, turning and walking the way they had just come from.

George frowned but shrugged, rushing to catch up with Lee Jordan and his date.

Fred quickened his pace, turning the corner to the stairwell and finding Hermione, crying on the steps as Ron brushed past her, anger on his face. His brother looked up at him briefly, but Fred stopped him. "What did you do?" he said, looking back to Hermione's sobbing figure.

"She's completely mental." Ron hissed, untangling himself and storming back. Fred glared after him, wanting to drag him back and have a go at him for being so mean to her. Instead, he starts down the stairs to comfort her, but stops.

She thinks he's a bloody prat who experiments on first year Hufflepuffs (granted, that wasn't a completely _false_ statement… but it wasn't completely true; they experimented on first years from all houses.) what comfort could she derive from _him_?

Fred then shakes his head and leaves her, turning around and walking back towards the common room, could it be that he fancied her? He rolled his eyes, that would be the day, Hermione Granger the teacher's pet going out with Fred Weasley the prankster. He laughed a bit to himself.

_Just a phase_, he said to himself. _It'll pass._


	2. Weasley's Wizard Wheezes

He was helping another customer when he saw her, lingering by the Patented Daydream Charms, examining the back of the bottle. Curious to get her opinion on it, Fred started to drift closer, though keeping far enough away that she didn't notice her presence.

He watched her face nonchalantly, looking for any signs of positive reception to the product. Her eyebrows were furrowed in the funniest way while her eyes darted back and forth, glaring at the label. "It really is clever magic." She said at last, putting the bottle back on the shelf.

Pride swept through him. Hermione Granger thought _his_ Patented Daydream Charm was _clever magic_. He didn't know why it meant so much to him that she cared about it. He puffed out his chest and made his presence known.

Hermione looked up at him as he suddenly appeared right there, she raised an eyebrow at him as he leaned up against the display and plucked a bottle from the shelf and offered it to her. "For that, you can have one for free." He stated, standing to his full height.

He smirked as he noticed how far she had to crane her neck to look at him in the eyes. Her gaze flitted to the box and she reached out a hand to take the box.

"Thank you Fred." She stated, smiling brilliantly at him. He fought the blush that was rising in his cheeks as he looked at her.

"Not a problem for such a good family friend." He replied smoothly.

She gripped the box and he released, but not before their fingers brushed, creating a buzz of electricity that neither could ignore. He opened his mouth, eyes locking onto hers as a decisive redness tinged her cheeks. "Sorry." She murmured.

"Not a problem, I think I hear George calling for me though." Fred muttered hastily, smiling at her before fleeing. He looked down at his hand again, feeling it tingle.

_Shake it off mate, shake it off,_ and he then realized that George was calling for him due to the fact that he was hastily swatted over the head and accused of being a negligent business partner by his brother.


	3. The Wedding

Bill and Fleur's wedding reception was in full swing. Fred leaned up against one of the tables, watching everyone dance and talk.

"Voulez-vous danser monsieur?" Fred turned and saw a pretty blonde woman offer a hand to him.

"What?" he said impatiently.

"Would you care to dance?" she said again, in English.

"Oh, um, no thank you… but you see that man over there? Yes, the one that looks just like me, I pointed your cousin to him, he really is quite dashing." Fred replied. The woman looked put out but went over to George, who seemed positively delighted to have attracted another French follower.

"Don't worry mate," his twin called overt the buzz of the reception. "Maybe you'll get a scar too — although I hope not. Wouldn't want any competition, see. Ladies love scars." Fred rolled his eyes and ignored his brother's comment.

"Fred Weasley?" he froze and turned to see Hermione standing behind him, a smile on her face. "Where's your dancing partner?" she asked. Fred shoved his hands deep into his pockets and shrugged.

"None of them have met my incredibly high standards." He said, putting on an air that made her giggle.

"Perhaps I might meet your incredibly high standards?" she asked shyly. The oxygen seemed to have been sucked out of the room as he stared at her.

_Speak you idiot!_ His mind scolded him. "Oh-," he said, scurrying to recover. "Well," he trailed. "The soon to be Hogwarts Head Girl..? I think she _might_ be a suitable choice. How's your dancing?" he asked.

She smiled, delighted as he took her hand and led her to the dance floor. "I'm probably better than you." Hermione teased. He looked at her, feigning hurt.

"Such a waspish comment dear 'Mione." He said as another song started up and he began to twirl her. "And I'm almost sure you are not." He countered.

She threw her head back and laughed as they dance rather fiercely across the floor. "My, my, how did you get so good Fred? I don't think I've ever seen you dance." Hermione said conversationally.

Red dips her, feeling their bare skin brush, relishing the flushed red color in her cheeks. "I'll tell you if your promise to keep it a secret." He said in a stage whisper. Her lips twitched as they continued to dance around.

"Of course, my lips are sealed." She murmured.

"George and I sneak out every night and dance in the common room." He stated, struggling to keep a straight face.

Hermione burst out in a fit of giggles as Fred looked over to George, who was frowning as all the French girls glared at Hermione who had managed to land a dance with him. He steered her towards the direction of his brother, who glanced up at him.

"Don't worry brother it's the two ears." He said. "Maybe you'll get two ears too-though I hope not, wouldn't want any completion, see." Fred remarked.

His brother threw a napkin at him with a good natured growl. "Oh shove off Freddie." He called as Fred twirled Hermione away.

The song came to an end after what seemed like hours and his feet stopped moving, but his grip tightened around her waist. "Hermione…" he began but stopped as Kingsley's patronus swooped in and the message was delivered.

In the fray he feels her slip out of his arms and he can't find her again, she's gone.


	4. Before The Battle

George and Fred stood together, watching the Order below, putting charms over the school. Fred's mind wandered to Harry, his brother, and Hermione and hoping they were safe.

He clenched his jaw, _Hermione. _Since he had seen her last that's all that had been on his mind, Hermione bloody Granger, and Merlin he prayed she was okay.

"You okay Freddie?" his brother nudged him. Fred looked at his twin and smiled, nodding his head slightly.

"Yeah." He stated.

George returned the smile, looking back to see the shield charms creating a protective bubble over everything. "Me too." Fred knows that, even if George will never admit it, it's his way of saying _if you're okay then I am too_.

"Where do you reckon Hermione is?" he blurts out. George looks at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Dunno, probably with Ron and Harry, why?" he asks.

Fred furrows his brow _why did he ask?_ Could it've been that time he had seen her at the Yule Ball and felt his stomach twist. Or the way she had commended him on his magic at the shop?

He recalled her laugh as they had danced at the wedding, the way her eyes sparkled wonderfully under the lights.

"Because I'm absolutely mad for her." He said confident in his answer, looking over at his brother. George gazed back, if he was surprised then he would have to remember to praise his brother on having great acting skills.

George patted his brother on the back. "It took you long enough to admit it there." He grumbled. Fred smiled a bit, it had taken him an enormous amount of time to realize that he loved this girl. The perfect, prefect, know-it-all who had taken so many house points away from him it was inhumane. He _loved_ Hermione Granger. He would tell her, the first chance he got when he saw her again.

The thought of her face made him smile as the first Death Eaters breeched the boundaries and him and his brother were called to action.


End file.
